String theory is a type of high-energy theoretical physics, practiced largely by particle physicists. It’s a quantum field theory that describes the particles and forces in our universe based on the way[more…]

String theory was originally developed in 1968 as a theory that attempted to explain the behavior of hadrons (such as protons and neutrons, the particles that make up an atomic nucleus) inside particle[more…]

In many versions of string theory, the extra dimensions of space are compactified into a very tiny size, so they’re unobservable to our current technology. Trying to look at space smaller than this compactified[more…]

String theory leads to some amazing (and controversial) implications. Although string theory is fascinating in its own right, what may prove to be even more intriguing are the possibilities that result[more…]

String theory yields many fascinating subjects for thought, but you may be wondering about the practical importance of it. For one thing, string theory is the next step in our growing understanding of[more…]

When you read that the force between objects is proportional to the mass of the two objects, you may think this means that heavier things fall faster than lighter things. For example, wouldn’t a bowling[more…]

String theory is currently the most likely candidate for a successful theory of quantum gravity. Because gravity is an interaction between objects made up of matter, understanding matter is crucial to[more…]

Since string theory is related to the theory of quantum gravity, a good place to begin is by giving an overview of the scientific understanding of gravity, which is defined by Einstein’s theory of general[more…]

Discovered in the 19th century, the electromagnetic force(or electromagnetism) is a unification of the electrostatic force and the magnetic force. In the mid-20th century, this force was explained in a[more…]

No matter how complex modern physics concepts get, they have their roots in basic classical concepts. To understand the revolutions leading up to string theory, you need to first understand these basic[more…]

String theory makes predictions about physical systems that contain a large amount of energy, packed into a very small space. The energies needed for string theory predictions are so large that it might[more…]

Waves (as we usually think of them) move through some sort of medium. If you flick the end of a jump-rope or string, a wave moves along the rope or string. Waves move through the water, or sound waves[more…]

String theory depicts strings of energy that vibrate, but the strings are so tiny that you never perceive the vibrations directly, only their consequences. To understand these vibrations, you have to understand[more…]

Here you have only a glimpse of relativity — the glimpse needed to understand string theory. This article explains how the ether model failed to match experimental results and how Einstein introduced special[more…]

Einstein’s theory of special relativity has had far-reaching implications, but it has left open certain questions that string theory hopes to answer. It has altered our understanding of time and space.[more…]

Einstein's work led to a theory that tried to unify relativity and electromagnetics and is seen by many as a predecessor of string theory. The most famous work of Einstein’s life also dates from 1905[more…]